Riga in the Holocaust Tour

On this walking tour through Latvia's capital, we'll visit significant Holocaust memorials while learning about Riga's tragic history during the Holocaust.

Riga in the Holocaust

Meet us in front of the House of the Blackheads Museum to begin our historical Holocaust tour of Riga. Prepare to explore the past of this capital city during World War II.

We will first visit the Great Choral Synagogue commemorative monument, the Jewish temple burned by the Nazis on July 4th, 1941. This attack resulted in many losses and is seen as the start of the Holocaust in Latvia.

Next, we head to the old Jewish Quarter, designated by the Nazis as a concentration area for Jewish families. This area was historically enclosed with barbed wire and guarded by the Latvian army under German command, with orders to shoot anyone attempting to escape.

We will also discuss the old Jewish cemetery nearby, which was converted into a recreational park after the war; only the great stone wall with the Star of David remains to mark its history.

After two hours of exploring this important narrative, our tour concludes in front of Peitav Shul, the only still-active synagogue in Latvia, where over 7,000 Jewish individuals gather for worship.